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Multiple-Meaning Words

A multiple-meaning word is spelled and said the same way but means different things: a bat flies at night, and you hit a ball with a bat. Context is the only clue, which is why these words are such good reading practice.

Here are 120 multiple-meaning words from past ClueBy puzzles, each with a real example sentence for every meaning. Use them as a reference, or make a printable worksheet below.

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Students read each sentence and write the missing word. Every word appears in several sentences, each time with a different meaning.

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Multiple-Meaning Words

Name: ____________________Date: __________

Write the missing word in each sentence. Each word is used more than once, with a different meaning each time.

  1. Friends gathered at the ________________ to remember him.
  2. The light ________________ burned out.
  3. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  4. The ________________ took off on time.
  5. At ________________, we arrived at the village.
  6. I've got to change the light ________________.
  7. The ________________ was stolen yesterday, along with the balls.
  8. False peace will not ________________.
  9. That must've been a ________________.
  10. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  11. Today is the ________________ day of the holidays. Back to school tomorrow!
  12. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  13. Tom didn't even ________________ an eye.
  14. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  15. I didn't ________________ up well this morning.
  16. The ________________ hangs upside down in the cave.
  17. The speedboat left a long ________________ behind it.
  18. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  19. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  20. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  21. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  22. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  23. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  24. Take your time. There's no ________________.

Sentences from ClueBy, Tatoeba (CC BY 2.0 FR) and Common Voice (CC0). clueby.com

Answer key

  1. wake — before a funeral
  2. bulb — for light
  3. rush — to hurry
  4. plane — an aircraft
  5. last — finally
  6. bulb — for light
  7. bat — for baseball
  8. last — to go on
  9. rush — a thrill
  10. bulb — of a plant
  11. last — final
  12. pass — a permit
  13. bat — in an idiom
  14. can — to be able to
  15. wake — to stop sleeping
  16. bat — the animal
  17. wake — a trail
  18. plane — a tool
  19. can — a tin
  20. plane — in geometry
  21. pass — to succeed
  22. can — a tin
  23. pass — to spend time
  24. rush — hurry

Multiple-meaning words list

Tick up to 10 words to build a worksheet with just those words.

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Frequently asked questions

What are multiple-meaning words?

Words with the same spelling and pronunciation but more than one meaning, like bark (of a dog or of a tree) or bank (for money or of a river). You can only tell which meaning is meant from the rest of the sentence.

Are multiple-meaning words the same as homonyms?

Mostly, yes. Teachers often use "multiple-meaning words" and "homonyms" for the same idea. Homophones are different: they sound alike but are spelled differently, like flour and flower.

Are the worksheets free?

Yes. Make and print as many as you like for home or classroom use. Each sheet has its own link, so you can print the same one again.

Where do the words come from?

From past ClueBy puzzles, a daily game where you sort twelve sentences by their missing word. A new puzzle every day adds four more words to this list.

Sentences from ClueBy, Tatoeba (CC BY 2.0 FR) and Common Voice (CC0). clueby.com